Emergency rail-brake.



No.810,316. PATENTEDJAN.16.1906.

P.O.ADAMS.

EMERGENCY RAIL BRAKE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY6,1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I T 12 u 23 23 23 22 e8 Wmness I,

P. O. ADAMS. EMERGENCY RAIL BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

P. 0., ADAMS.

EMERGENCY RAIL BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 1903.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

v ww POWELL O. ADAMS, OF CAMERON, TEXAS.

EMERGENCY RAIL-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed July e. 1903. Serial No. 164,494.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, POWELL O. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cameron, Texas, have invented a new and Improved Emergency Rail-Brake, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to brakes for stopping trains, and more particularly to brakes for grasping the rails of the tracks of railways; and the object is to produce brakes which will grasp the rails with greater or less power and to which increased power may be appliedas the train progresses. This brake is intended for use in emergencies when a train must be stopped almost instantly to avoid great dangers. The brakes will operate more perfectly when the rails are provided with fish-plates, such as are shown in the drawings; but the brakes are readily adaptable to the rails already in use. The brakes may be used to cooperate with the brakes now in use and may be used independently of the brakes now in use. The illustrations show the brakes applied to a tender; but'the brakes may be mounted on or applied to any other part of the train. The brakes are preferably operated by pneumatic pressure, and the drawings show the brakes provided with appliances for operating the same by means of pneumatic pressure.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application and specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive- I tender with the improved brake applied thereto and two of the pneumatic pressure cylinders being shown in vertical sections in order to show the arrangement of the pistons. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of two cylinders, showing also the connection of the pipes and a section of the valve for supplying the pipes with fluid-pressure. Fig. 3 is a broken sectional view showing the manner of applying the brakes to a railway-rail. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a tender with the brakes applied, illustrating a variation in the cylinders and the manner of mounting the brakes. Fig. 5 illustrates a variation in the brake-levers.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out the objects of this invention any convenient number of brakes may be used. In the drawings I show four brakes mounted on one side of a tender. A corresponding number would have to be mounted on the other side of the tender. Each brake consists of a fulcrum-bolt 1 and two levers 2 and 3 and each lever being provided with a bearing-roller 4. The rollers 4 are journaled in the lower ends of the levers and are pro vided with ball-bearings 5. The levers are strengthened about the rollers 4 by means of steel bars 6, which are embedded in the outer surface of the levers and secured therein by suitable bolts. The fulcrum bolt or shaft 1 1 is attached to piston-rods 7, which are to be raised by pneumatic pressure, as hereinafter described. The downward motion of the fulcrum-shaft l is limited by suitable chains 8, which are attached to the shaft 1 and to the deck) of the tender. Thedownward sweep of the levers must be sufficient to allow the rollers 4 to engage the rails of the track. The pistons 10 of the piston-rods 7 operate in cylinders 11, which are mounted on the deck of the tender. The pistons are raised by compressed air. fall by gravity. The fulcrum-bolt and the levers being attached to or suspended therefrom will increase the gravity. In order to make the fall more positive, a spiral spring 12 is mounted in each cylinder above piston 10 to act on the piston to force the same down; The levers 2 are also operated by pneumatic pressure. The levers 2 are connected to link levers 13 by pivot-bolts 14, and the link levers 13 are connected to each other and to the piston-rods 15 by pivot-bolts 16. Pistons 17 are mounted on the pistonrods 15 and operate in cylinders 18, which are mounted on the deck 9 of the tender. The cylinders 18 will be called the brakecylinders, because the pressure is applied above the pistons to make the levers engage the rails with the bearing-rollers, and the cylinders 1.1 will be called the release-cylinders, because the pressure is applied below the piston to raise the levers out of engagement with the rails.

Pneumatic pressure is supplied to the release-cylinders 11 by means of the pipe 1.9, the last cylinder 11 to the left of Fig. 1. being connected with the pipe 19, as shown in Fig. 2, and the other cylinders 11 being connected in a similar manner by means of T-pipe connections 20. The pipe 19 is connected with a valve 21, which may be called a supply- The pistons will IIO valve. Pneumatic pressure issupplied to the brake-cylinders 18 by means of a pipe 22, the pipe 22 being connected to the last cylinder 18 to the left of Fig. 1, as shown in Fig. 2, and the other cylinders 18 being connected to pipe 22 in a similar manner by T-pipe' con nections 23. nected to valve 21 by means of the casing or seat 24. supply source of pneumatic pressure by means of the pipe 25. Pressure is suppliedto cylinders 11 by connecting pipe 19 with the supply source for releasing the grasp on the rails. The operation of releasing is aided by the spiral springs 26, which are mounted on the piston-rods 15. Raising the fulcrumshaft 1 causes the levers to spread, and thus release the grasp on the rails. The springs 26 will cause prompt release of the rails. The cylinders 11 stand connected with the supply source of pressure. Consequently the brake-levers will not move downward until the pressure is cut off. When the brakes are to be applied, the valve 21 is turned so that the pipe 19 is disconnected from the supply source of pressure, thereby allowing the brake-levers to drop in position for grasping the railway-rails, and at the same time the pipe 22 is connected to the supply source of pressure. This operation willsupply the cylinders 18 with pressure, and the pistons 17 will be forced down, thereby causing the brake-levers to engage the rails. The pressure may be increased to cause the brakelevers to grasp the rails with more force as the train moves forward. The brake-levers are constructed with lips 27, which project under the edges of the balls of the rails to prevent the brake-levers from releasing their grasp of the rails.

Various changes may be made in the proortions of the various parts of the brake evers and cylinders and many changes in the construction of the various elements made without departing from my invention.

In Fig. 4 I show a variation in the manner of supporting the brake-levers and a variation in the cylinders. I use compound cylinders instead of single cylinders, as in the brakes previously described' The fulcrumbolts 1 are mounted in stationary supports 30, which have shoulders 31 abutting against the under side (for bracing purposes) of the deck 9 of the tender and having a reduced portion 32 projecting through the deck and threaded and provided with nuts 33. In this variation compound cylinders 34 and 35 are used, cylinders 35 being similar to cylinders 34, but used for a different kind of brakes. The braking is done by upward pull on the piston-rods 36 instead of'by downward pressure, as in the brakes previously described. The brake-levers 37 may cross each other on the pivot-bolt 1, as in case of scissors or shears, or one'lever may have an opening The pipes 19 and 22 are con The valve 21 is connected with a therethrough for the other lever in the manner shown. The supports 30 and the brakelevers 37 are flush with each other. The cylinders 34 are supplied with air-pressure by means of pipes 40, which admit pressure be low the pistons 38 for operating the brakes, and are supplied with pressure above the pistons by pipes 39 for releasing the brakes.

The operation is similar to the operation of the brakes previously described, the difference being that the piston-rods 36 are pulled upward for braking and forced downward by air-pressure for releasing the brakes. Spiral springs 41 may be attached to the pistonrods 36 in a separate compartment 42 from the piston-compartment to aid in releasing the brakes promptly. Some of the brakelevers may be used without the bearing roll ers. The brake-levers 43 are similar in all respects to the levers shown, as levers 37, eX- cept that they have no'bearing-rollers. The levers 43 are operated by separate air-pressure pipesand are to be used only in extreme emergencies.

Having fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rail-brake i'or railway-trains comprising a pair of brake-levers mounted on each side of a train and swinging transversely above the rails of the track, means adapting said levers to grasp the rails yieldingly at the point of contact, means for lowering said levers in position for grasping the rails, and means for applying yielding pressure to said levers to cause the same to grasp the rails.

2. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a series 'of levers mounted transversely the rails of the railway track and adapted to grasp said rails yieldingly at the point of contact and pneumatic-pressure-regulated pistons connected to said levers whereby power is yieldingly applied to said levers.

3. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a series of pairs of levers, movable fulcrums for said levers, pneumatic-pressurecontrolled means for changing the position of the fulcrums, each pair of levers being mounted transversely the rails and adapted to grasp the rails, rail-engaging rollers at the points of contact, and pneumaticpressureregulated means connected to said levers for operating the same.

4. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a series of pairs of levers mounted on each side of a train of cars, each pair of levers being arranged transversely above the rail and adapted to grasp the rail yieldingly at the point of contact, means for lowering said levers, and means for applying pneumatic pressure to said levers for operating the same.

5. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a series of levers mounted on each sideof a train of cars, a movable fulcrum for each series of levers, pneumatic-pressure-regulated pistons for changing the positions of said fulcrums, said. levers being arranged in pairs and each pair having a transverse swinging movement and adapted to grasp the rail, and a pneumatic cylinder provided with a suitable piston connected to each pair of levers.

6. In a pneumatic-pressure rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers, a series of levers being mounted on each side of a train, said levers being arranged in pairs and each pair having a transverse swinging movement and adapted to grasp the rail, rail-engaging rollers at the points of contact, an adjustable fulcrum for each series of levers, and means for applying pneumatic pressure to said levers for operating the same.

7. In a pneumatic-pressure rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers, a series of levers being mounted on each side of a train, said levers being arranged in pairs and each pair having a transverse swinging movement, the lower end of each lever constituting a brake-shoe and provided with means for grasping the rail yieldingly at the point of contact, a fulcrum for each series of levers, means for lowering said fulcrums to operative positions, and means for applying pneumatic pressure to said levers for operating the same. I

8. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers, a series of levers being mounted on each side of a train, said levers being arranged in pairs and the lower end of each lever constituting a brake-shoe and the brake-shoe being provided with means adapting the same to grasp the rail yieldingly at the point of contact, a fulcrum for each series of levers, means for raising and lowering said fulcrums, and a pneumatic cylinder for each pair of levers provided with a piston connected to each pair of levers.

9. In a pneumatic-pressure rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers, a series of levers being mounted on each side of a train, said levers being arranged in pairs and each pair having a transverse swinging movement and. adapted to grasp the rail, a fulcrum for each series of rails, pneumatic cylinders provided with suitable pistons for raising said fulcrums, and means for operating said levers.

10. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers arranged in pairs and each pair having a transverse sw1nging' movement and adapted to grasp a rail and pneumatic pressure regulated pistons connected to said levers, each lever being provided with a bearing-roller.

11. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers arranged in pairs, a fulcrum being mounted on each 'side of a train, pneumatic cylinders provided with suitable pistons and piston-rods connecting said pistons and said fulcrums, and pneumatic cylinders provided with suitable pistons and piston-rods connecting the lastnamed pistons to said levers.

12. In a pneumatic rail-brake the combination of a plurality of levers arranged in pairs, a series of levers being mounted on each side of the train, said levers being arranged in pairs adapted to grasp the rails, brake-cylinders provided with suitable pistons connected to said levers for causing said levers to engage the rails, release-cylinders provided with suitable pistons for disengaging said levers, suitable pipes connected to said cylinders for supplying the same with pneumatic pressure, and means for switching the pressure from the brake-cylinders to the release-cylinders and vice'versa.

In testimony whereof I set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of June, 1903.

POWELL O. ADAMS. Witnesses:

L. C. MCBRIDE, JOHN WATSON. 

